Tuscany Blog September 26th, 2014

September 27, 2014 at 12:07 PM

September 26th 2014 Monteriggioni, San Donato, Viareggio and Pisa

A day in the Tuscany countryside. This morning we visited the medieval walled village of Monteriggioni, which is located high on a hill overlooking the countryside. The thick wall is still intact and at two point you can go up on the wall and look over the countryside and back into the village. Besides many interesting shops, people still actually still live in the village. What a great location to explore and photograph the many unique buildings and gardens, and as we boarded our motor coach I noticed a few shopping bags too.

For lunch today we visited the family run winery of San Donato. They had prepared a nice selection of cheeses, breads, meats and wines. A great lunch and everyone looked pretty relaxed as we left the vineyards.

The following morning we departed Lucca and headed for our next destination the beautiful city of Florence. Enroute we visited the seaside resort area of Viareggio and no visit to Tuscany would be complete without spending some time photographing the Leaning Tower of Pisa.

We are now in Florence for the next three days and have many interesting places that we have scheduled to visit including the famous Statue of David and the Duomo. We will be also visiting a small mountain side village that overlooks Florence for dinner and night photography. Enjoy the images we selected for todays post.

Window in Monteriggioni

A great place to buy leather ... or photograph it!

Interesting shoes

Marg checking out an Italian cook book

The gates into the village, you can see the difference in elevation

Peter demonstrating the crank water well

This green guy was greeting people as the walked along the wall

Looking down on the vineyards we could see them harvesting the grapes

Another shot of the wall around Monteriggioni, look close you can see Bill up there

A shot while visiting San Donato winery

Many interesting things as we wondered around the estate

The group enjoying the wines and foods from the estate, thanks Bill Hall for the image

Another one of the group, the weather has been so beautiful many meals outside

After lunch Michelle ordered a to go bottle ...

Brian and Mary after lunch at San Donato, biscotti anyone?

The countryside near the winery, olive groves and grapes

A close by village at one of the overlooks from the estate

Tuscany at it’s best, thanks Bill Hall

Another Tuscany landscape

In the evening we went out to dinner in Vorno, Claudia with her cousins who joined us for dinner, it was nice to meet both of you

Group dinner, thanks Bill Hall for this shot

Interesting shot during our walking tour of Viareggio

Brian horsing around ... anyone remember a similar shot in Scotland a few years ago?

Yellow this one another amusement ride on the pier at Viareggio

One of the street venders keeping cool, it was 28 C today

You see why so many people come here to enjoy the ocean

Lorenzo Viani, a 3rd cousin to Claudia and a local artist and poet

The streets of Viareggio

Gail posing by a palm tree

Bill and Marg posing for a shot in Pisa

Another shot of the tower, amazing to see up close

Standing right at the tower and looking up

A burst of sun through the tower

Every angle makes for an interesting photo of the tower, image by Bill Hall

That’s our report and images for today. The group is now in Florence with many more interesting photos to be shot. Good night from all of us in Florence, Italy.

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Posted by
Nancy Anne
on
Sep 27th, 2014

I'm so jealous of the great photographs and adventure you are all having. Wish I were there with you and can't anyone keep Brian off the Livestock?? Carpe Diem!